Basket construction



Sept. 9, 1958 o. R JR 2,8515186 BASKET CONSTRUCTION Filed June 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l 44 35 42 Fig./

Fig.2

Dan 0. Rupe, Jr.

I INVENTOR.

BY WW fiM Sept. 9, 1958 D. o. RUPE, JR 2,

BASKET CONSTRUCTION Filed June 2, 19 55 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Fig.3

Dan 0. Rape, Jr.

INVENTOR.

Allarn 'y:

United States Patent BASKET CONSTRUCTION Don O. Rupe, Jr., Boise, Idaho Application June 2, 1955,Serial No. 512,793

1 Claim. 01. 220-4 This invention generally relates to improved and novel basket construction and more specifically provides a folding type basket. 1

An object of the present invention is to provide improved and novel basket construction that may be utilized for hauling light, bulky materials such as leaves, grass or similar materials.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a basket of the foldable type together with an improved method of loading loose bulky material into the basket for easier handling thereof.

A further important feature of the present invention is to provide a basket that may be easily folded and unfolded from an assembled to a disassembled position thereby facilitating the loading and unloading of light bulky material therefrom.

Other important objects of the preseent invention will reside in its simplicity of construction, ease and elliciency of operation, its adaptation for its particular purpose and its relatively inexpensive manufacturing costs.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the basket of the present invention showing it in conjunction with supporting hooks and a carrying cart especially adapted for this particular purpose;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the basket construction of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the basket of the present invention in an unfolded position ready for loading loose material thereon;

Figure 4 is an enlarged group perspective view illustrating the pivotal attachment of the side walls to the bottom member;

Figure 5 is a detail view illustrating the construction of one of the pivotal end hook members; and

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 66 of Figure 2 illustrating further structural details of the pivotal hook members.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that the numeral 10 generally designates the basket construction of the present invention for use in conjunc-' tion with a cart generally designated by the numeral 12.

The basket 10 generally includes an elongated bottom member 14 and a pair of side Wall members 16 and 18 all of which are constructed of wire mesh or reticulated material. At each end of the bottom 14 is an upstanding partial end wall 20 also of wire mesh material and at each end of the side walls 16 and 18 is a perpendicular half end wall 22 which is generally the same size and shape as the partial end wall 20.

The bottom 14, side walls 16 and 18, partial end walls 20 and half end walls 22 are all provided with perimetric rods 24 which encircle and reinforce the wire mesh from which the elements of the basket 10 are constructed.

As illustrated in Figure 4, the rod 24 on the half end walls 22 are disposed exteriorly of the rod 24 on the partial end wall 20 and are pivotally secured thereto by a pivot pin 26 wherein the sidewalls 16 and 18 are pivotally connected to the bottom 14 and the half end walls 22 may pivot upwardly to an aligned and adjacent position in overlying relation to the partial end wall 20.

The perimetric rod 24 at the upper end of the partial end wall 20 is provided with a pair of spaced projecting lugs 28 which are provided with rounded cam-like outer surfaces for engaging the adjacent rods 24 of the half end walls 22 when the side walls 16 and 18 are swung upwardly to a vertical position in forming the basket wherein the side walls 16 and 18 will be retained in vertical relation thereby forming a continuous enclosure.

Rigidly formed at the center of the free edges of the side walls 16 and 18 and integrally formed with the rod 24 is a double hook member 30 which includes a pair of bill portions 32 facing in opposite directions for engaging a transverse brace 34 on the cart 12. At each end of the basket 10 and on the upper edges of the half end Walls 22 when the basket 10 is formed is a pair of pivotal hook members 36 having an annular eye member 38 surrounding the rod 24 and retained in position thereon by a pair of spaced washers 40. The hook members 36 are adapted to be engaged over a rearward transverse brace 42 on the cart 12 which is also provided with a transverse handle 44 and depending forward legs 46 having wheels 48 thereon. Adjacent the transverse brace 42 is a pair of depending props 50 having feet 52 thereon for engaging a supporting surface. The transverse brace 34 is provided with integrally depending attaching portions 54 which are secured to the forward surface of the depending legs 46 and the upper surface of the transverse brace 34 is provided with a pair of lugs 56 which cooperate with the hooks 30 on the side walls 16 and 18 for supporting the basket 10 on the cart 12 for permitting transportation of the basket 10 and the contents thereof.

In operation, the basket 18 is positioned on the supporting surface in unfolded relation substantially as illustrated in Figure 3 wherein the bottom 14 and the side walls 16 are disposed in coplanar horizontal relation and the end walls 20 and 22 are also generally in coplanar relationship thereby permitting material such as leaves, grass or any other light bulky material to be loaded onto the area formed by the bottom 14 and the side Walls 16 and 18. After the material has been positioned thereon, the side walls 16 and 18 may be grasped and moved to an upstanding or vertical position wherein the innermost rod 24 on the end walls 22 will engage over and be positioned between the lugs 28 for retaining the side walls 16 and 18 in vertical relation.

In attaching and detaching the basket 10 from the cart 12, the cart 12 is disposed in straddling relation to the basket 10 and the handle 44 pivoted upwardly until such time as the hooks 3t) engage over the transverse brace 34. The handle 44 of the cart 12 may then be lowered and the end hooks 36 at one end or the other of the basket 10 may be positioned on the transverse brace 42 whereby the basket 10 and the contents thereof may be transported wherever desired.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed. 1

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A basket for use in combination with a carrier cart for transporting loose material such as leaves, said basket comprising an elongated bottom panel having a rectangular upstanding endportion on each end thereof, a pair of elongated side panels hingedly connected to the side edgesof the bottom panel for swinging from a position coplanar with the bottom panel to a position perpendicular in relation thereto, each of said side panelshaving a perpendicular end portion at each end thereof, all of said end portions being substantially equal in size and shape and having a length greater than the height, the end portions on the side panels being disposed closely adjacent the outside of the end portions on the bottom panel and having a height substantially equal to one-half of the length of the end portions on the bottom panel whereby the end portions of the side panels will completely overlie the surface of the end portions on the bottom panel when the side panels are disposed in perpendicular relation-to the bottom panel, said end portions on the side panels and bottom panel forming a substantially continuous end wall when the side panels and bottom panel are disposed in coplanar condition thereby enabling leaves to be swept upon the upper surface of the panels with the end wall aiding in retaining the leaves thereon until the side panels are swung upwardly into perpendicular relation to the bottom panel, means adjacent the center of the top edge of the end portions of the bottom panel for detacahble engagement with the inner edge of each end portion on the side panels thereby releasably retaining the side panels in perpendicular relation to the bottom panel and forming a basket with an end panel defined by the end portions on the side walls extending above the end portions on the bottom panel, supporting hook means rigidly mounted on the top edge of each side panel adjacent the center thereof, and a pair of pivotal support hooks on the top edge of each end panel adjacent the outer ends thereof, said hook means and pivotal hooks permitting a carrier cart to straddle the basket by approaching from either end and suspendingly supporting the basket from the hook means and one pair of pivotal hooks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 299,844 Paine u June 3, 1834 311,951 Bright Feb. 10, 1885 582,229 Reynolds May 11, 1897 920,496 Schreiber May 4, 1909 1,093,110 Christopher Apr. l4, 1914 1,673,736 Davis June 12, 1928 1,684,036 Kennedy Sept. 11, 1928 2,555,767 Sirnonian June 5, 1951 2,672,218 Genung Mar. 16, 1954 2,697,460 Barnett Dec. 21, 1954 

